Cholestrol level of 6.5, gp has filed it as normal?

[Redandbluespots]

I'm nearly 50 I have a strong family history of heart disease on my dad's side. My cholestrol has shot up considerably, seeing my results today but the gp has filed it as normal. I'm thinking I need a statin and is it a mistake?
My hdl ratio is 4.6. Hdl is 1.8 and ldl 4.08.
If anyone understands these readings, I'd be extremely grateful 🙏

There's a lot of good information on cholesterol on the British Heart Foundation website. The table at the bottom of this page might be helpful: https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/risk-factors/high-cholesterol

I’m not a doctor, but I do have a similarly high cholesterol level.

Yes it’s high, but it doesn’t mean you should be on statins yet. Doctors use a risk tool to calculate how high your risk of heart disease is in the next few years. If you’re a healthy weight and have a healthy lifestyle your risk may still be in the ‘no treatment required’ zone. As you get older your cholesterol is likely to increase so you may need statins.

In the meantime you could try making diet and lifestyle changes to try and lower it yourself.

OP, I also have a strong history of HD in the family, and my cholesterol also shot up and gp wasn't oncerned about either of these as I'm relatively young. Quite by chance, I was given a heart CT scan to rule out a heart problem as I awaited a scan to diagnose gallbladder problem sicne apparently the two can be mistaken for each other. Turns out I did have a gall bladder problem, but the CT scan also dentified a partial blockage in a main artery, so now I have a CHD diagnosis and am on a statin. GPs use a measure to calculate your risk, called something like "Q risk", I always came out low on these, but I do have a blockage, it isn't curable, and I do need to take measures such as diet and exercise, and also a statin. It's worth pushing.

So your TC:HDL ratio is 4.6. This is the number that the doctor will be entering in the QRISK calculator: https://www.qrisk.org/. TC:HDL under 6 is regarded as good.

My cholesterol has been at 6.5, now slightly lower, and my GP doesn't seem particularly concerned despite my father dying of a burst aiorta at my age (61). At my request, I tried statins but it gave me diarrhoea (common side effect), which meant I couldn't work as i teach and you can't just leave your class to run to the toilet. When I explained this to the GP, she said I wasn't in a danger level and it was fine just to have the cholesterol monitored. If I were you, I'd just try to stick to a fairly healthy lifestyle and keep it monitored. Statins are not great drugs to be on really.

I'm in the same boat. My numbers are 3.6 cholesterol. Advised no action.

TC:HDL ratio is 3.6

(I would add I have to eat very healthily to achieve that, plus I'm a bit overweigh).

I had tests in hospital for various things a couple of years ago. Turned out it was Atrial Fibrillation which for me had few symptoms other than a small bit of breathlessness and palpitations - which I put down to worry and stress at the time.

I have high cholesterol and have had for many years. I was offered statins but decided no, I didn't like the sound of all the possible side effects. A personal decision.

Anyway, as part of the cardiac tests I had a cardiac calcium scan which detects plaque in the arteries, which can be caused by high cholesterol and can lead to blockages.

The score for me was ZERO. So despite high cholesterol and Atrial Fib and no statins and god knows what else, there was no effect on the arteries. I am older now 66, so cardiologist was delighted to see this and signed me off immediately as needing nothing further from him. As he said himself, I do NOT have HD, but I do have arrythmia which is unconnected (for me) with any underlying HD. I only go for checks now every couple of years unless I feel unwell. Still no statins, I don't need them.

That is really interesting to hear about the scan. It's brilliant news that your arteries are clear 🙏

Thank you. I've called my gp today and they are going to get back to me. I'm sorry to hear you have a blockage :( Did they not offer a stent?

Thank you for all of your advice. I will definitely look into my diet, to see if I can lower it myself xx